Nearer, My God, To Thee

With a few songs in hymnals, it is difficult to understand them without their backstory or context. With others they have great substance already but when you discover the background, it furthers the message. For instance, Psalm 51 by itself is a beautiful hymn of repentance, but when you realize that it was written by David after his sin with Bathsheba it means so much more! Nearer, My God, to Thee was a song that already meant so much to me. I had often been at the point of tears with it, but I was amazed at what it really was about.

Nearer, My God, to Thee is telling a story – the vision of Jacob’s ladder (Genesis 28:10-22). It originally has six verses. I would encourage you to read this Scripture and then look up the complete version of the song.

Jacob has just been sent out by his father from his home after deceiving Isaac and Esau in order to receive God’s blessing. He is fearful of death – “e’en…a cross.” He is “like the wanderer.” His only “rest a stone.” “Yet in my dreams I’d be Nearer, my God, to Thee.” He sees the “steps unto heav’n” with “angels to beckon me.” What a comfort to such a troubled soul! But then, when he awakens he does not forget his relationship with God – whether “by my woes” or “if on joyful wing!”

We need to be like Jacob and remember that no matter what our circumstances, we need to “draw near to God and He will draw near to you.” (James 4:8)